Tour de France, Stage 17 – It was McNulty’s show: “I told myself that Jonas and Tadig would let me win…”

But she did not feel Wednesday. Brandon McNulty was there and put on a show, almost stealing the show from his captain, who won the stage at Peyragudes. Mikkel Bjerg stepped on the gas pedal for the first time during the ascent of Horkitt Danesan to make the fugitives cry. “Mikel was amazing, he set a rhythm as if he was a climberTadej Pujakar greeted. Then it was McNulty’s show. We almost saw the American lead the race, almost to the finish.

“Tadig told me to do my best for a quarter of an hour‘ says the unexpected hero of the day. So the skimming began. One, then two, then ten. They ‘fled the wind’ all against the infernal rhythm that McNulty imposed on the slopes of Azet Val Louron Pass.”while I was attackingcontinue, I’m starting to hear that more and more runners are being abandoned.” Actually everything. Even Gerant Thomas ended up surrendering to the train, which never happened with the captain of the INEOS Grenadiers. In the face of a sharp attack from Pogacar or Vingegaard, yes. But not at the pace of one of their teammates.

Only the yellow shirt managed to resist. “McNulty was really strong today (Wednesday)So much so that the McNult-Pogacar-Vingegaard trio took less time to reach the top of Val Louron than the other trio composed a quarter-century earlier by Jan Ullrich, Marco Pantani and Richard Virenque. Even if the comparison has its limitations (the stage was shorter), admitted Jonas Vingegaard. Much more this year than in 1997), you’ve done really well and “merit” goes to McNulty.

The scammer had yet to come since, even after his loss was made, the hostile Phoenix expanded his efforts, not just a little. “I stayed ahead longer than expectedhe said at school is an understatement. It was a great effort, but it ran well and I am glad I was able to drive a big mountain stage in the Tour de France for the first time. She was so specialIt was only 300 meters from the finish, when the final descent at Piragodes Harbor became a rave, the Yankees stepped aside to allow the two leading names on the tour to vie for victory.

Brandon McNulty admits it, he wanted to believe, at least a little bit, in the fairy tale. “5km after the finish I told myself that Jonas and Tadig would be great and would let me win the stage…but I realized there are no gifts in this sportHe didn’t lose it all. His number earned him the title of the most combative sprinter of the day, and as such, he took the podium at Pyragodes.

“It’s an honor and a happiness for me, I don’t often deserve it‘, smiles his fellow model, who was worthy of President Pogacar’s congratulations:Brandon did well throughout the tour, but he deserves a special mention today.“That’s the least we can say. On Thursday, we have to do it again.”It will be at least as difficult“Big Mac”, but if he had the same legs, it would be especially difficult for others.